Private journeys in seven lands · a planner replies within one working day
Try "Udaipur", "tiger", "honeymoon", "Ladakh in July"
Seven nights crossing Rajasthan by scheduled train, from Delhi to Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer, with private guides and luxury hotels at each stop. A relaxed way to see the countryside, with a note on the Palace on Wheels and Maharajas' Express for those who prefer a luxury train.
Rajasthan's railways run through the heart of the state, and the main lines connect the cities this journey visits. Instead of long drives, you take three day trains in executive or first class, watching farms, villages and then open desert pass the window, while your car travels ahead with the luggage.
Each city has a private guide and a hotel close to its sights: Rambagh Palace in Jaipur, RAAS in Jodhpur and Suryagarh in Jaisalmer. For travellers who want a fully luxurious train, India's Palace on Wheels and Maharajas' Express run set itineraries in the cool season; we can book them, subject to current schedules.
Highlights
Day by day
Your guide meets you at New Delhi station and settles you into your seats on a morning express to Jaipur, about 4.5 hours. Your driver meets you on the platform in Jaipur and takes you to Rambagh Palace. In the late afternoon, walk the old city bazaars with your guide.
Reach Amber Fort at opening, then visit Panna Meena ka Kund. After lunch and a rest, see Jantar Mantar and the City Palace. Sunset at Nahargarh Fort, then dinner at the palace.
Board a day train from Jaipur Junction to Jodhpur, about 5–6 hours through farmland, villages and the edge of the desert. Your car and driver meet you in Jodhpur for the short drive to RAAS in the old city. Dinner on the terrace below the lit fort.
Enter Mehrangarh at opening and spend the morning in its palaces and museum. Walk down through the blue lanes to the stepwell and the clock tower market. Afternoon at leisure, then Jaswant Thada in the late light.
Take the day train west across the Thar, about 5.5–6 hours, as the landscape turns to scrub and sand. Your driver meets you in Jaisalmer and takes you to Suryagarh. Sunset from the hotel terrace.
Sunrise at Gadisar Lake, then into the fort with your guide for the palace museum and Jain temples. Walk down to Patwon ki Haveli. Afternoon rest at the hotel.
A slow morning. In the afternoon, visit the abandoned village of Kuldhara, then drive to a quiet dune area for sunset. Dinner by a fire with Manganiyar musicians.
Transfer to Jaisalmer airport for a seasonal flight to Delhi or Mumbai, or board a train towards Delhi. Alternatively, drive to Jodhpur airport, about 5 hours. Check current status of flights and trains before you travel.
Included
Not included
Where you sleep
The former home of the Maharajas of Jaipur, run by Taj, set in large Mughal-style gardens about 15 minutes from the old city. It is the …
A boutique hotel inside the walled old city of Jodhpur, built around a restored 18th-century haveli directly below Mehrangarh Fort. Clean contemporary rooms, a courtyard pool …
A palace-style hotel built in golden Jaisalmer stone on the road to the Sam dunes, about 15 km west of the city. It is the most …
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Questions travellers ask
In executive or first-class carriages on the faster trains, yes: reclining seats, air conditioning and simple meals. They are not luxurious, but they are a calm way to cover distance and see the countryside. The three day trains on this journey take about 4.5 hours from Delhi to Jaipur, 5 to 6 hours to Jodhpur and 5.5 to 6 hours to Jaisalmer. Timetables change; check current status before you travel.
The Palace on Wheels runs set itineraries through Rajasthan in the cool season, typically seven nights. Its schedule has been interrupted in some years, so check current status before you travel. We can book it and add hotel stays before or after.
A luxury train run by IRCTC, with several set itineraries across north India, including Rajasthan, in the cool season. It is very comfortable and expensive. Many guests use it for part of a trip and add hotel nights before or after, which we can arrange. This journey uses scheduled day trains instead, with palace hotels at each stop. Routes and dates change; check current status before you travel.
Your car and driver carry your main luggage between cities, so you travel with only a day bag. A guide or representative meets you at each station. In Delhi your guide settles you into your seats, and in Jaipur, Jodhpur and Jaisalmer your driver meets you on arrival and takes you to Rambagh Palace, RAAS or Suryagarh. Keep medicines, documents and a warm layer in the day bag.
Yes, on some routes, such as Jaisalmer to Delhi. Sleeper carriages in first class AC give private cabins on some trains, though availability varies. We prefer day trains for the views. The overnight option suits the end of this journey, from Jaisalmer back towards Delhi, when Jaisalmer's seasonal flights are not running. Timetables change; check current status before you travel.
Tickets open a fixed number of days ahead and popular trains sell out. We book as soon as booking opens for your dates and arrange alternatives if needed. We book executive or first-class seats on all three day trains, and if a train is full, your driver can take you by road instead. Booking windows change; check current status before you travel.
Delays happen, especially on longer routes. Your driver tracks the train and waits. If a delay is serious, the car can take you on by road. A guide or representative meets you at each station, so someone is always there when you arrive. We keep the hours after each train journey light, so a late train rarely costs you a guided visit.
Udaipur connects by train to Jaipur and Delhi, but not conveniently to Jodhpur or Jaisalmer. We would usually add Udaipur by car from Jodhpur via Ranakpur, a drive that takes most of a day with the Jain temple stop. We suggest two or three nights on Lake Pichola, then flying home from Udaipur, and we adjust the order of the desert nights to suit.
Yes, per person, twin sharing, from the figure shown. Rail fares, hotel rates and dates affect the final price. Single travellers pay a supplement. Rooms at Rambagh Palace, RAAS and Suryagarh cost more around Christmas, New Year and Diwali, and a luxury train such as the Maharajas' Express is priced separately. We confirm a firm quote once your dates are fixed.
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